12 Years Later
by writingpikachu
Summary: Continuing from what happened in '11 Years Later', Louise returns with The Phantom after a year long tour to find what has changed and what has not.
1. Chapter 1

Sorry I've been dead for so long guys! IB is a killer. Word of advice, don't do it. Anyway...

-CUE AWESOME THEME MUSIC-

Louise packed her trunk, neatly fitting her new clothes over her old. On top of those she added the letters she had received from fans around Europe, and on top of those she placed the scores of sheet music she had needed for so long.

'It's been almost a year,' she thought, turning to her second trunk. 'I'm going home.'

She didn't know what to think of 'home'. Could she even call it that? With the murder of her mother hanging heavily over the de Chagny estate, nothing kept her there, as the Viscount wasn't even her father. Unfortunately according to the rest of the world he was though, and as a result Raoul had to offer her a bed in his mansion.

'But Meg will be there,' she scowled at the thought of the Viscount's new wife. Her old dance teacher was easily her most hated person of the hour – after murdering her mother and humiliating her countless times. Why, she hoped that witch would-

"Louise," she turned around. Towering over her slightly, with an air of majesty, her father stood in the doorway. "Are you packed?"

"Nearly," she gestured to the trunks. "I included your new suit and the extra parchments."

"Good." The Phantom walked in. "Are you sure you want to go back?"

"It's been over a year." Louise looked at him. "If I don't make peace now, we may never get it. Also I want to see Lena and the others. I won't let her take them away from me as well," she paused, looking at a small piece of paper. Wait, it wasn't paper – it was a photograph. In the brink of their success of buying the new theater the Opera Dauphine, Raoul had celebrated with a family photograph with the newest of technology. Now, he beamed at them with what could be a fake smile, and Christine; his 'beloved' wife and her beloved mother; smiled genuinely. Then little Louise, no more than a year old, slept in her arms soundly, the fuss around the photograph did not wake her.

"I can't believe it, sometimes," Louise murmured. "This photograph is both fake and real. Sometimes it says so little, sometimes it says so much," she sighed, and then tucked it into the corner of her trunk.

"I understand," The Phantom agreed. Sitting on the second trunk and shutting it closed, he sighed. "I wish I could bring her back. But once a soul has gone, it's gone." He put a hand on her shoulder.

Louise frowned. "I hate being a victim, I want to bring the fight back. She took her away from me, from us. She hurt us – and now, I want her to feel hurt." She got up. "Papa, would you help me bring the trunks down?"

"Of course, Louise." The Phantom nodded.

"Louise!" Raoul stood at the steps towards his mansion. "Welcome home!"

"Hi," she accepted his hug, and gingerly patted his shoulder blades. "It's good to be back."

"How was Europe?" Raoul asked her with a gentle but cautious smile. "Which royalties have you played for now?"

"It was alright," Louise shrugged. "I met Queen Victoria of England,"

"Ever the ambitious child!" He ruffled her hair. "Footman, take her luggage inside to her room."

"Thank you Monsieur," Louise glanced at the man with the top hat. "It's good to be home."

"I agree, we missed you!" Raoul grinned. "We kept your room the same way as it was – have a look!"

With that he dragged her up the stairs. To the girl's surprise Raoul was right – the room was exactly the same as she had left it. The book she had been reading was still on her desk too – at exactly the same page it had been before she left.

"You must be tired from the journey," Raoul went on. "I'll have the maids bring up dinner for you. I'll be eating later tonight when Meg gets home."

"She's living here?"

"Yes, as of 12 months ago." Raoul grinned. "She's even expecting the Heir of Chagny now!"

"That's lovely," she nodded. "Well, I better start unpacking,"

"I will leave you to it," Raoul left quickly, Louise watched him leave and smirked to herself. Her 'father', always thinking in more ways than one, actually was treating her with more respect now that she had a name. Before he would have made her go down to eat dinner alone, but now she could eat in the safety of the presence of her real father, as the door knocked and he entered, heaving her trunks in.

"Thank you, Papa" she smiled. "Raoul hasn't changed much."

"No," The Phantom smirked back. "I didn't know you used to live in such luxury," he sighed.

"You can join me, please do," Louise begged

"No," The Phantom repeated. "The Opera Dauphine calls to me – I survive in the theater, not in amenity. My bed of roses is when I hear good music, and when I teach you," he stopped. "But I think I will stay the night here,"

"I wish you would stay with me here," she sighed. "So I wouldn't be alone with them. I never know what they will do to me,"

"You're never alone," the Phantom countered. "And they would never hurt the ever-famous Louise de Chagny – if they do anything you can follow the music again. Perhaps you can bring the music to me now,"

Louise nodded. Then she turned around and grabbed her violin case and pulled out the instrument. The violin was well worn and tired looking, but had been a source of life to the girl. It had been a while since she hadn't needed to practice, but passion overtook her and she played a simple nursery melody – something her father scorned, but despite the simplicity she added something extra as she repeated the notes. A small trill here, an octave change there, ornamentation all around, until the tune did not sound like a nursery rhyme anymore, but a jazzed up work of art. And so Louise happily continued to play this melody into the night, under the watch of the Angel of Music.


	2. Chapter 2

Louise looked out from the carriage at the Opera Dauphine. The building held so many memories she wanted to keep, and at the same time it held memories she wanted to lose. As she stepped out she turned to the footman.

"Monsieur," she smiled smoothly. "Please bring my trunk inside,"

The footman bowed and obeyed, walking past Salena Giudicelli as he entered the building. Lena's eyes shone as she saw the sight of her old friend.

"LOUISE!" Lena ran and gave her a hug. Louise smiled properly and squeezed her friend back. "Welcome back!"

"It's good to be back," she replied, half honestly. "Is Meg around? She left earlier than I did. Shouldn't you be in rehearsals or something?"

"I skipped them to see you," Lena confessed. "I haven't seen you in so long! I've kept all your letters though – Mama and I could never tell where you were next. We'd receive a letter from you in Budapest, and then next thing we know you're scheduled to perform in Berlin! How was everything?"

"Tiring, but good" Louise shrugged. "I learned a lot while on tour."

"Well who wouldn't? You can't go around all of Europe without learning something!"

Louise nodded. "Come, let's get inside – I'm freezing!"

"I thought you'd have spent your winter somewhere colder! You sent me a letter from Warsaw last Christmas!"

"You received the letter then?" Louise raised an eyebrow. "I was in Seville by Christmas! The postal service is getting worse and worse," she sighed. "Must have been because everyone was sending Christmas cards. Did you join the Christmas ballet this year then?"

"Yes, we missed you in the last one," Lena answered, walking inside with her. "I should go back to rehearsals – Mam'zelle Giry was so angry last week because I was late,"

"You mean Meg? Sure, I'll come with you. I haven't seen her since I got back," Louise walked coolly towards the dance hall. It was here that Meg had humiliated her countless times, here where Meg had stripped her down and made a laughingstock of her, but at the same time, it was here where she had learned so many truths.

She heard the music here, and she was hearing music again, however she felt something distinctly lacking – the dance piece needed more happy tones, it needed more passion in the music, as if the notes were dancing as well…

"Well, let's do this," Louise took a breath and opened the heavy door.

They walked in and walked in on a young dance class.

"Oh, Lena!" Meg smiled sweetly. "Good to have you here with us, and is that… Louise?!"

"Hello Meg," Louise curtseyed. "It's nice to see you."

"Of course," Meg nodded. "I was just telling these girls about the days when you were one of my pupils – what entertainment!" she threw her head back and laughed.

Louise continued to smile pleasantly, and then agreed. "Yes, ballet was not my calling. But it was thanks to Meg that I was able to find mine," she turned around and bobbed at the pianist. "Monsieur, if you please,"

The pianist smiled and stood up graciously. Louise cracked her knuckles and began to play.

Her fingers seemed to slide smoothly over the keys, pausing at desired notes at desired times, pouring a joyful feeling over the entire class. Some of the girls found themselves getting up, and then starting to move their feet to the steps set by Meg. This was done in canon, and eventually only Meg and the astounded pianist were not dancing around the hall.

Louise stopped suddenly. "And that is why I decided to start playing music instead of trying to dance to it. A wise choice on my part, but you are all much more capable in dancing than I was." She smiled again. "Keep it up."

The girls all started clapping as she got up and bowed.

"Well, I'm off then," she smiled at them and left the dance hall, passing the old wing on her way around. She stopped dead as she heard a faint tune. Her ears pricked up and she turned, eagerly following the music. It had been almost a year, but her feet had memorized the path to the Phantom's lair, and he awaited her as she was drawn back to his old grand piano.

"I see you've settled in nicely," She shook out of her trance, and smirked at her father.

"I'm lucky to still have this place. I saw your father had left plans to demolish this place, until he realized that it would make an excellent store cupboard," he gestured to the newer props, Louise's favourite being the golden throne embellished with sparkling jewels. "Also I think he saw the costs of demolishing."

"You were looking through his desk?" Louise rolled her eyes.

"No, he left them out," the Phantom shrugged. "Strewn carelessly across his desk in his newly decorated office."

"I'm not surprised," Louise sighed. "And he complains about being tight on money."

"I couldn't help but notice his plans for a new wing named after your mother though," he went on, flipping a page in the music score sheet. "But they were in the bins,"

"I'm not surprised," Louise scowled. "If Meg lives with him, why would he want a wing built to remember her mistake?"

"You're still upset." The Phantom mused

"Well you would be too," she replied coldly

"I am," he nodded. "I loved her too,"

"It's just… Meg got off free," she went on. "Like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth! She chased us out of here for a year," her eyes blazed, and she spat out the words bitterly. "I want her to hurt,"

"You want revenge?" The Phantom stared at her.

"Yes." Louise declared. "I want revenge on Meg for killing my Mama. She deserves it. She took an innocent life."

"She did." He agreed. Then he put his arms on her and laughed. "I knew you were no better than your father!"


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys! I'll upload all this in one go since I've had it finished for a while (I forgot to put it up when I finished each chappy... OTL) and hope you enjoy!

-COOL POV TRANSITION-

The girl sat at her desk, pen in hand and scribbling swiftly into her parchment. Smile on her face, the parchment was dotted and lines danced all over it, connecting and separating with each other, until her song was written.

She smiled and put her pen down. Holding up the parchment gently, she ran over and picked up her precious violin, feeling the smooth wood and the soft familiar scent of rosin. She put the violin in playing position.

"What's all that racket?" the doors burst open and Meg stamped in, wearing a silk robe over her large nightgown, and a scowl on her face. "Are you serious – playing at this time of night?"

"I'm inspired," she replied coolly, holding her violin close.

"You and your 'inspirations'," Meg pulled her close so they were face to face. "I don't know what Raoul's thinking – you're not his daughter, there's no need for you to be here,"

"Yes there is," Louise looked her straight in the eyes with her own bi-coloured eyes. "Raoul married Christine. My mother,"

"Christine doesn't live here anymore," Meg sneered.

"She does," Louise's eyes bored into her old dance instructor. "She lives in me."

She turned around in silence. As Meg turned puce with rage, she put her violin into playing position. Then she started playing what she had written. As she sawed out the tune, she thought of her muses – the summer she spent in Vienna, meeting Lena and the other dancers and playing with them, sitting by the seaside with her parents and licking ice cream, lying in the fields of the estate as the sun went down; turning the grass into gold strands tickling her back. It was those memories she hung onto firmly; they kept her rooted to the theater.

However Meg's scowl remained, just as it did the last time Louise had played for her. But this time, there was nothing stopping the woman from harming her.

"I came in here," Meg's voice sounded like chips off a block of ice, her cold hands snatched up the violin. "TO TELL YOU TO SHUT UP!"

CRACK. When the violin hit the wall and snapped, Louise felt part of her snap too. When the splinters fell at her feet, her eyes blazed.

"YOU BEAST!" Louise screamed at her. "YOU BEAST! HOW DARE YOU?!"

"HOW DARE YOU DISTURB MY SLEEP!" Meg retorted

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU JUST DESTROYED?" Tears stung, but the girl refused to cry in front of Meg. "YOU DON'T CARE WHAT YOU KILL DO YOU – YOU JUST WANT YOUR OWN WAY. YOU'RE A SELFISH, HORRIBLE WITCH, YOU-"

"WHAT'S GOING ON?" The door burst open again. Raoul glared at the two, and then his face softened as he saw the broken violin on the floor. "Oh no."

"Yes. She did that." Louise jerked her head reluctantly.

"Meg," Raoul sighed, putting his hands on Meg's shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Louise. I know how much that violin meant to you."

"It survived a year-long tour around Europe," she muttered bitterly. "But not a week home."

"I'm so sorry," Raoul repeated. "Meg's not been feeling well from the pregnancy." He turned to his wife. "Meg, say you're sorry,"

The woman glared at Louise and stomped off. Raoul turned back to her.

Louise sighed. "I can't afford another one. Monsieur Renaldo set up a trust fund for my concerts, but I can't use the money until I'm an adult."

"We'll work something out, OK?" Raoul sighed, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Try to get some rest tonight."

Louise did, but not without feeling like another part of her shattered soul had gone.


	4. Chapter 4

"She did WHAT?!" Lena cried when Louise showed up empty handed to the theater the next day. "That's horrible! We all know how much you loved that violin!"

"I still have the pieces," Louise nodded. "I know no power in this world could fix it, but there's always hope right?"

"Whatever makes you feel better at night." Lena shrugged. "How much do violins cost anyway?" Louise told her, and the girl pretended to faint on the spot. "That much?!"

"For a good one," Louise shrugged. "Raoul just told me how sometimes violinmakers offer their services for instruments. I'll have to check their catalogue or something. Personally I hate these new modern violins." She sighed. "Maybe you can borrow one from the orchestra." Lena suggested.

"Maybe." Louise nodded. "I was about to talk to them. Want to join me?"

"Louise?" she looked up. Raoul stood nervously at the doorway. "Come to my office please,"

Louise raised an eyebrow at Lena, who quickly gave her a hug before moving off to the dance hall. As she walked over to the office she drew a breath before knocking three times on the door.

"Come in," Raoul opened the door. "Louise I just want to say how sorry I am about your violin. I know how much that violin meant to you."

Louise gulped and nodded, allowing him to continue. "Right now we're still tight for money. As much as I'd love to get you a new one, I know I wouldn't be able to replace it."

"Thanks," Louise sighed. "You read the contract with Monsieur Renaldo? I don't have a single penny to spend,"

"Wasn't the violin insured?"

"Didn't have the papers," she explained. "It was a gift."

"I see," he nodded. "Well, the least I should do is give you a job." He handed her a piece of paper. "We're piecing together acts for our Christmas show."

"And you want me to star in it?" Louise smirked.

"Well, yes." Raoul paused.

"I thought it was a charity concert!"

"Partially," Raoul explained. "There isn't anything that needs more money than our little theater!"

"I won't take money from that charity then," Louise declared

"I expected as much." Raoul nodded. Then he reached around for another sheet of paper. "That's why I have another idea. This is our violinmaker, Reginald DuFont. Or at least he will be – we're working on terms and conditions right now – but a way to speed things up is through his daughter, Marie." Louise gestured for him to go on. "She's 8, and needs a violin teacher. What better than to have our most successful violinist in the theater?"

Louise narrowed her eyes. "You know I hate your business schemes." She turned around.

"Did I mention how much he is willing to pay?"

She stopped and reluctantly turned around. Snatching the sheet of paper she scanned it quickly. "Wow. That much?"

"Minus one tenth of it for the theater," Raoul added. "And two tenths for tax."

"That's still a lot of money," she mused. "Fine. I'll do it." She looked around dubiously. "So when do I start?"


	5. Chapter 5

The sun was sinking slowly, as day turned to dusk. She should have been home long ago, but still she stayed. The carriage home had left without her, but she didn't care. All she cared about was the music. The notes rang from the piano gracefully and menacingly as she played Mozart's Sonata #2's second movement. Her fingers danced and tapped lightly at the wood, but she still sadly pined for the pressing strings of her violin.

"Why are you back here so late?" she jumped and looked up.

"Oh, it's you, Lena" Louise laughed. "I just don't really want to go back home just yet. I'm preparing my lesson for the little DuFont." She gestured to the sets of sheet music she had piled on one side of the piano. "That and I don't want to face Meg alone."

Lena rolled her eyes. "Your feud keeps going on and on. I know she bullied you and all, but do you really hate her that much?"

Louise opened her mouth, but then stopped. "It's complicated." She sighed. "You don't know the half of it."

"Then tell me!" Lena begged. "We've been friends since we were babies! Please, Louise, just tell me!"

She paused. Should she? Should she reveal Meg's treachery and true colors? It was Lena, her best friend from childhood – maybe she should…

"You're so different now," Lena went on. "What happened on that tour?"

Louise thought about it. "I grew up. Easiest way to put it."

"Yes," Lena nodded. "You definitely changed. You used to be so bright and bubbly. I know things change when you lose your Mama like that, but you're so serious now!" she looked wistful. "I remember that one time our Mamas took us to the fair. We had so much fun there!"

"We did," Louise agreed. "We ate too much ice cream and then had to lie down in that field. Then we started talking,"

"That was when you first told me you hated ballet and didn't want to go on," Lena nodded. "See if you could tell me that, why won't you tell me what's going on now?"

The girl stared back at the piano. "You really want to know?"

"Yes!"

"Fine." She lowered her voice. "Meg killed my Mama. She killed Christine." She explained what had happened the day Christine died, leaving out her real father's role in it and replacing it with 'an argument between her parents'.

Lena took this in silently and sat down. "Christine… was murdered?"

"It was covered up," Louise went on bitterly. "According to everyone else, it was an accident. But I was there – Meg killed my mother in front of my eyes." She gazed with her bi-colored eyes.

"Oh Louise," Lena wrapped her arms around the girl. "I'm so sorry."

"It's OK," she pulled back. "It's made me stronger." She paused. "It gets to me every time – she got away with murder."

"She did," Lena replied. "You're not going to try prove she did that right?"

"No," Louise shook her head.

"Good." The girl gave her another hug. "Louise, don't grow up too fast. You'll end up leaving me behind." With that she got up and left. Louise sat at the piano, neck deep in thoughts, and then resumed playing the sonata.

Finally she couldn't take it any more. She got up and left the hall, going into the old storage cupboard.

"Papa?" The Phantom looked up. He was busy arranging his latest masterpiece, The Magic Strings, and now his daughter wanted to bother him, again? "Papa!"

"What?" he looked up. "Shouldn't you be going home?"

"Don't want to go home," Louise went over and held out her violin case. "Look what she did."

"What?" he opened the case "WHAT?!" He raged as he pulled out the broken violin. "SHE DIDN'T!"

Louise flinched but didn't move. "Yes. Last night. C-can I stay here tonight?"

The Phantom let out a sigh, but it was more like a dragon breathing fire. "Fine." He gestured to a gold bedframe complete with a mattress that looked like it had only been slept in once.

"The opera's putting on crazier and crazier plays," Louise muttered as she prepared herself for the night. She opened the Phantom's trunk and dug around for some of her clothes. She smiled in relief as she found the nightgown that she had been given by the Queen of Spain. As she pulled it out she dropped a set of sheet music.

"Oh?" she looked at it. "Isn't this the first sonatina you taught me?"

"Yes," the Phantom replied without looking up. "Why?"

"Can I borrow it?" he nodded. Louise smiled and then ran to sit next to her father, music in hand.


	6. Chapter 6

"This is Marie DuFont," Raoul introduced the fair-haired girl, who seemed nervously terrified at the sight of Louise and her bi-coloured eyes.

"Hello," Louise smiled and shook her hand. "How old are you?"

"I'm eight" Marie blushed.

Louise kept smiling, and then turned to Raoul. "So which practice room are we to use?"

Raoul cleared his throat and led them down the theater hallway. "This is our biggest practice room, it's also fully soundproofed." He boasted. "Our musicians will have the choice of over 20 of our practice rooms, but this one is the most demanded room to use."

"That's great, Raoul" Louise smiled. "You can leave."

With that she gently pushed him out and slammed the door. "Now then, Marie," Louise nodded at her. "I hear you want to be able to play like me?"

Marie nodded eagerly. "I've always wanted to learn the violin," she cried earnestly. "Papa first made me learn piano though – he taught me the musical scales and everything,"

"So you know how to tune your violin then?" Louise gestured at the case. "Go on then,"

Marie turned quickly and got out the violin, but when she brandished it Louise's jaw dropped. "You have a Stradivarius?!"

"Yes," Marie nodded. "Antonio Stradivari was one of my ancestors – his violins are my family heirlooms. Papa didn't have a violin to spare so he let me take one."

Louise shook her head. "You have no idea of the value you have in your hands," she sighed. "Well, let's start then. Tune up."

Marie listened cautiously as she plucked the A string. Frowning she turned and started adjusting the peg. Eventually she got it to a pitch that she liked, and played it out with her bow.

"Wait," Louise held up a hand. "That's still flat. Turn it up a bit more,"

Marie looked nervous, and when she twisted it wouldn't budge. Looking more frantic she tried again, but still no avail. Finally she gave an almighty twist, which resulted in snapping the string and her yelping in shock.

"Are you alright?!" Louise cried, just catching the violin as the girl dropped it. She checked it over for signs of damage. "You should probably get these strings replaced, they look like they can snap any day now," she turned to the girl. "Would you like me to get that sorted for you?"

"S-sure" Marie gulped, going bright red.

"You're alright," Louise reassured her. "You haven't lost an eye." Sighing she got up. "I'll see if the orchestra has one we can borrow for now,"

"I'm so sorry!" she cried. "I'll go with you!"

"No, wait here and practice some scales on the piano," Louise instructed as she opened the door. Then, she ran all the way not to the orchestra pit, but to the lion's den. "Papa could you do me a favour?"

"A Stradivarius? I didn't know we were expecting royalty," the Phantom exclaimed.

"It was in the hands of an eight year old," Louise sighed wistfully. "I would be lying if I said she wasn't taking that for granted, but-"

"No, I know what you mean," The Phantom gestured to his hallway of mirrors. "I see all remember?"

"Of course you do, Papa," Louise smirked. "I just want those strings replaced and a temporary replacement violin,"

The Phantom nodded. "A Stradivarius in exchange for my mere Seraphin," he bowed mockingly. "Enjoy its lackluster sound and plain-looking colour,"

"Lies. You know you love it," Louise smirked.

"I do, but I love this Stradivarius more."

Louise ignored his last comment as she left his lair. Then she returned to Marie and handed her the violin. "It's not as high-class, but it's still a decent violin,"

"Is it tuned?" Marie looked at it nervously.

"Yes," Louise smiled properly. "Don't let a snapped string scare you – I've had a string snap as I played – it almost caught me in the eye. You'll never get far if you've never had a snapped string, a wrong note or any mistakes." She went on. "Now can you tell me the notes on each string?"


	7. Chapter 7

The Phantom watched the two girls in the practice room with keen interest. His protégé was growing up – from a little girl who hardly knew herself, to teaching another girl not unlike her! He felt a rush of pride he had only felt one other time – when her mother was in the same position as her, and was starting to grow up. Yes, Louise de Chagny was definitely growing to be like her mother, but at the same time he easily saw himself in her. The determination, the desire, the darkness; she was definitely using his teaching style on the little girl. As she told the girl to play a D major scale for the fifth time, he smiled to himself. Definitely like him – he remembered forcing her to do exactly the same thing when she first started out.

"Alright, that's enough," Louise moved on, and pulled out a set of sheet music. "Here, try this," she handed it to the girl.

The girl looked confused, and then asked. "Could you play it for me?"

Louise nodded. "Sure." Taking the violin in playing position, the Phantom listened to the girl play the chorus of Handel's Oratorio _Judas Maccabaeus._ A simple tune, but as she played, the Phantom realized that the simplicity of the piece can be used to an advantage. For every complex sonata ever played came lots of hard work and endurance, and sometimes the feelings for the sonatas were lost. While these pieces showcased the talent and skill of the violinist, the easily played pieces, like Louise's nursery tunes, showcased the passion and love for music, the determination to improve, and the amazing process that showed you WERE getting better. In fact, though he would never admit this to his daughter, it brought tears to his-

SCREEEEE! He winced as that other girl, the blonde one, scraped at his precious violin strings. So much for passion and getting better; he flinched as the girl scraped at another string and thanked God she wasn't his pupil.

Eventually, Louise somehow managed to make the music more pleasant to hear, and he let out a sigh of relief. Though he did wonder how the glass he had designed for the mirrors hadn't broken yet.

"Alright, I think that's enough for today," Louise got up and closed the piano. Marie paused, and then shoved the violin into Louise's hands.

"I can ask Papa for a spare," she smiled sweetly. "Thanks ever so much,"

"You're welcome," Louise nodded. "I'll give the Stradivarius back as soon as our instrument expert finishes restringing."

The Phantom smiled at that. Instrument expert? He was a _master._

"Right," Marie smiled. "When will I see you again?"

Louise thought about it. "How about next week? I promised Raoul I'd perform for the charity concert and I need to practice,"

"Right. Thank you!" Marie smiled and dashed off.

Louise watched her leave, and then turned to the violin and started to pack it away.

"Not bad," the Phantom slid the mirror to one side and walked into the practice room.

"I know – she could go far!" Louise turned around and smiled, unfazed by his entrance.

"Not her – you," he went over and put a hand on her shoulder. "You make a good teacher."

"Have you restrung the Stradivarius?" Louise shook her head.

"It's not that worn out," the Phantom nodded. "Only the A and the E were very worn. I replaced all of them anyway," he smirked. "Want to try it?"

"Yes!" Louise cried, running inside the hidden pathway. When they reached the storage room, Louise dashed to the violin and put it in playing position. She drew a breath. "I'm about to play a Stradivarius," she smiled to herself. Then, she played the segment she had just taught Marie. The sound was much more crisp and clear, though it sounded odd for a simple melody to be coming from such a grand instrument.

"Stop," a hand smacked Louise lightly on the back of her head. "Don't waste yourself on that. Try this for the concert," he handed her a sheet of music.

"THE KREUTZER SONATA?!" Louise's jaw dropped. "You've gone mad, Papa"

"Are you saying you can't do it?" her father smirked

"No…" Louise glared. "I can do it in my sleep! It's just-"

"Are you scared of it?"

"NO!" She cried. "Just watch me," she frowned over the sheet of paper. Then, putting the Stradivarius in playing position, she started.

Though the sonata needed a piano accompaniment, Louise did well enough on her own. As the tune switched to a minor key and became darker, the Phantom felt a surge of pride as she played. She understood the feelings, and channeled it into her playing. Then the melody switched to A minor, and as it did the girl's anger showed – she was angry at Meg for everything, the violin, the 'accident' last year, the humiliation over 6 years old.

Louise put the violin down. "Sorry. It… feels wrong."

She took one last look at her father, and then ran out the door.

He caught up with her just as she turned towards the cemetery gate. He stopped and waited patiently as she wrestled with the rusty gate handle, and did not prevent her from entering.

She ran to a stone angel, and dropped on all fours, squinting at the name. No wait, she wasn't squinting, he decided as a tear slid down her nose.

"I-I'm sorry," Louise broke the silence after a few minutes. "I'm sorry, Mama." She drew a breath. "I ran away for more than a year."

The Phantom said nothing, and turned away pointedly. He heard the girl gulp and hiccup, and then he heard her words. "But I'm home. I won't run away anymore," she paused. "I want revenge for what she did to you, Mama. I will have revenge for us." The grass rustled as the girl got up. "I'm sorry you had to see that." She walked past her father.

"You ARE very determined to have your revenge," he smirked. "Well done, my daughter."


	8. Chapter 8

"LOUISE!" The girl looked up. It seemed like everyone was calling for her nowadays. This time it was Marie, eyes shining and clutching the Seraphin. "Louise I'm ready for the lesson!"

"Are you? Good," Louise smiled. Then she took the violin cautiously. "I fixed your Stradivarius, take good care of it." She handed back the Stradivarius. "Alright did you practice your scales?"

Marie paused. "I don't like scales."

"Come on now," Louise encouraged her. "You can only get better at scales if you practice," she put her father's violin in playing position. "I'll play with you if you like,"

Marie followed, and together they played the C major scale. Louise winced slightly at the younger girl's skreeks, but nodded approval at her. "If you keep practicing you can make it as legato as possible," To prove this she played the scale quickly and smoothly. "See? I do scales every day for at least an hour." She explained to Marie's amazed expression.

Marie nodded, numbed, and then added in a breathy voice. "I practiced the piece you set me!" she quickly started off, and Louise evaluated her happily.

'She HAS gotten better,' Louise nodded and looked at the piece she was planning on setting. 'I don't think she needs to do this one,'

"Well done," Louise exclaimed. "You have been practicing! Hold on," she sorted through the sheets. "Today we'll try something new," she repeated her teaching and played for the girl again.

"I wish I could play as easily as you do," Marie sighed wistfully. "You look like you just wrote the piece in your head!"

Louise shrugged. "I practice a lot, as you should."

Marie complied, pausing at the odd trill and squinting at the notes. Louise bore with it patiently, and when the girl had finished she showed her mistakes. Finally the clock struck and they were brought back to the real world.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to keep you for so long!" Louise cried.

"It's alright," Marie curtseyed. "Thank you for teaching me so much."

"Same time tomorrow?"

"Yes, thank you" Marie packed the Stradivarius carefully and left the practice room. Louise smiled ruefully at the disappearing instrument – it would have been fun to try some new pieces other than the Kreutzer Sonata on the Stradivarius, maybe even try some of her own.

"But it's just as fun to use Papa's Seraphin," she shrugged, putting the violin in playing position. Then, she started to play the melody that had gotten her violin destroyed. She still missed it, as much as she liked all the other ones, she missed the feel and lightness of hers. The closest she had ever come to replacing that feel was with the Stradivarius, but even with that, there was no sense of belonging. She was not a girl playing her violin, but a girl playing a violin. That violin could be taken away at any moment. It was almost the same with her father's violin; it just wasn't her own. She scowled as she thought of Meg, who had probably gone home by now, who was probably kissing Raoul on the cheek and prettily sipping tea as they chatted idly about their days. There would probably even be a comment about her; Louise rolled her eyes at that thought.

"Louise" she looked up, her father stood there with a smirk on his face.

"What?" she put the violin down guiltily. "I still need a new violin!"

"Never mind that," The Phantom led her out of the practice room. "You have to see this."

They walked down the corridor and he asked her. "You still want your revenge right?"

"Of course," Louise nodded, her eyes darkening. "I want her to look me in the eyes and beg for mercy."

The Phantom smiled. "We'll see," they stopped outside the dance hall. Louise looked in curiously.

"What's going on?" she asked, looking in.

"Go on," he shoved her inside. As she squinted in the darkness, she listened – there was the sound of someone heavily breathing.

Suddenly a shriek pierced the silence. It sounded like someone who was facing the hounds of hell, someone being tortured to the point of insanity. Louise imagined the poor soul who was in so much pain.

Wait, her father had just lit a lamp and walked over to a hunched shape. Louise scowled at her stepmother.

"So?" The Phantom gestured as Meg gave another scream of pain. "What are you going to do?"

Louise looked over Meg coldly; the woman caught her bi-coloured eyes and winced as another contraction occurred.

"HELP ME!" She shrieked, grasping her stomach. "From one human to another, please Louise – HELP ME!"

"Why should I?" Louise spoke quietly and calmly. "You said so yourself – look me in the eyes, now," she bent over so they were face to face. "I'm not human." She purposely widened her eyes and blinked slowly. Meg sobbed quietly and hunched on the floor, whimpering. "You're pathetic. You've hidden behind everyone – everyone was there to help and support you. You always got what you wanted," Louise's words sounded like they had been in an icebox for a week, and she was unmoved. "It was never enough though, was it? Raoul was all you wanted, and you were determined to get just that. Even if it meant killing my mother."

"Oh, Christine?" Meg wept, biting her lip as another contraction occurred. "I swear; it was an accident!"

"For her maybe," Louise shrugged. "But I remember that look of complete and utter hatred in your eyes. I begged to live; I was as pathetic as you are now. But it's changed - I've changed. I've never forgotten that look of absolute spite and malice." She hissed. "You're a murderer."

"LOUISE!" Meg sobbed, hunching over even more. "LOUISE, PLEASE!"

"Are you going to finish it?" The Phantom asked quietly from his corner.

The girl looked at her former teacher icily. Finally she spoke again. "You're a murderer – you took innocent lives." She paused. "But I'm not going to let you take any more." She turned to her father. "Call the hospital."


	9. Chapter 9

The girl didn't know what to do, as she sat outside the ward. Raoul, Old Madame Giry, even Lena and her mother had gone in already, cooing over the twins Meg had just brought into the world. But something stopped her from entering the room. Maybe it was the fact that this bringer of death had just brought in life instead, or maybe it was her conscience on some of the things she had said during the first part of labour in the dance hall.

"Louise," she looked up. Lena smiled at her. "You're a hero, you know that?"

"Am I?"

"Yes! The doctors told us how you called for the ambulance to bring Meg over here – who knows what would have happened if you hadn't thought so sensibly?"

"Anything, I suppose,"

"Well, I say you're a hero, and I think everyone would agree with me!" Lena gave her a hug. "And it's even better because you've forgiven her, then, haven't you?"

Louise did not answer, but gave a faint smile.

"Go on, go in!" she encouraged her.

"No thanks," Louise shook her head. "There are too many people right now. I'll just tire her out." She smiled. "I'll go in later."

"Promise?"

"I promise," Louise nodded. Then the crowd began to disperse from the room. She paused and looked inside, and caught Meg's eye from the bed.

"Louise," the woman gestured with her head. "Come in."

Louise stepped in nervously. As she drew closer, she felt the blood pound in her ears.

"Thank you," Meg looked down at the twins and back up, looking her in the eyes once again.

Louise gulped and nodded.

"I'm sorry," she went on. "In the dancehall. No matter what, I'm not pure anymore. I don't deserve these two purities." She smiled. "Would you like to hold one?"

The girl gruffly reached out for one of the small bundles. It wasn't like holding a violin; nothing like it. The baby was warm and soft; it's rosy lips making small mewling noises. Though it's eyes were scrunched shut, there was a cute side to the small life she held, and she couldn't help but hold it closely.

"If you like… you can name them." Meg's voice seemed far away, but came more clearly as she explained. "You're holding my daughter, and I've got my son here."

"Christine," Louise automatically named the girl. "And…" she thought of names for the boy.

"How about Lucas for the boy?" Meg piped up.

Louise hesitated and then shrugged. "It's your child." As she said this her heart pounded as the boy squirmed and mewled.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" They looked up and saw Raoul smiling at them. "Have you named them yet?"

"Yes," Meg nodded, handing Lucas to her husband. "Meet Christine and Lucas."

Raoul beamed. "Lovely names." He drew a breath. "Well then, I think that this calls for a celebration!" he thought. "We'll dedicate the concert next week for them!"

Louise's eyes widened, but then she smiled back ruefully. "I'd forgotten… about the concert," she admitted. "I've been too busy with Marie."

Raoul gave an audible gasp. "Louise! You must have something prepared, please say you do!"

She shook her head. "Not unless you want nursery tunes or-"

"Yes, let's do that!" they turned at Meg's suggestion. "Darling, this is a celebration of life here! Not only for Lucas and Christine, but for Louise as well! And her Christine," they paused. "Please, Raoul?"

The man smiled. "Of course, my dear."

Louise stared at Meg in shock, until her old teacher grinned.

"You'll have to have a violin as well, Louise," she went on. "Dear, will you see to it that Louise has the Stradivarius owned by the Dufont's? I'm sure that would go very nicely."


	10. Chapter 10

"So you changed plans." The Phantom visited his daughter in her dressing room, minutes away from the performance. "Any regrets?"

"No," Louise laughed. "Meg went straight back into teaching after having the twins. They need someone to look out for them. An angel watching over them."

"So you'll take care of them as if they were your own." He smirked. "I didn't think you got so sentimental anymore."

"I put my feelings in my music." She shrugged. "As I did with this one." She gestured to the sheets lying on the desk by her mirror, written in her scraggly handwriting.

"I see," Her father nodded. "To think you just wanted to play nursery tunes through the night." They shared a laugh at his reaction of smacking her with a rolled up sonata.

But Louise's smile broadened as she thought of her inspiration, the nights she spent by the twin's cradle writing the notes, singing the tune to them as a lullaby, and watching over them with more care than their mother seemed to give them. Meg had barely registered her children due to her busy schedule, but Louise did not resent her at all for that. In fact she was almost thankful that her foster-mother was giving her the chance to take care of Lucas and Christine.

"You'll be on soon," The Phantom handed her the Stradivarius. "Playing royalty for royalty."

"It's my own composition, it's hardly royal," she rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't talking about you."

Louise scowled at her father. "Yes, I'm excited to play a Stradivarius too."

"Well you should go on soon." He turned to leave. "I'll be in my usual box. Break a leg."

The girl took a deep breath as she walked towards the entrance to the stage "It does feel good to be performing again," she muttered, entering the spotlight once more.

-offstage-

So yeah, I hope you enjoyed this! I'm sorry I've been dead for so long! I'll try and write some more - probably my Harry Potter and LOTR Crack! TALK TO YOU SOOOON~ -rolls off into sunset-


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